Eli Manning still turned in a solid fantasy day in week 12 -- 226 yards, two TDs -- but the Giants certainly miss wide receivers Hakeem Nicks and Steve Smith . Both of them are looking toward week 14 as their target return date. Nicks said Wednesday he thinks he has a "realistic" chance to play Dec. 12 versus Minnesota, three weeks after undergoing surgery to treat swelling in his leg. He just wants to make sure his surgical wound doesn't sustain an infection. "I don't want the scar to get infected," Nicks told ESPN New York. I think I will be OK by next week. Pretty much that is all it is, keeping the wound clean. ... I don't think it will really bother me because I don't really feel it much walking around much. They just want the scar to heal." Smith has been out since week 10 with a torn pectoral muscle. He caught some passes Wednesday and did limited work in practice. Although he thinks he'll play next week, Smith knows the pain of his injury will persist. "I'm going to feel it for the rest of the season," Smith said. "It is kind of weak, especially weak when I move my arm across the body."

Fantasy Analysis:

Mario Manningham has stepped up to become an every-week start because of these injuries and Kevin Boss has been a serviceable plug-in for those who have been affected by the piles of tight end maladies. But the Giants don't have a quality wideout past Mario right now. If Smith and Nicks play next week, I expect both to be limited, but their mere presence will help Manning's fantasy value. I would be wary of playing either of them next week, but it sounds like they should be absolutely fine by week 15 at the latest. Of course, that would diminish Manningham's field time.